1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus which, when an image recorded on a photograph film or the like is printed onto a photosensitive material by exposure, carries out calibration by correcting an exposure rate, color gradation of the like so as to obtain an appropriate finished print image.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a photograph printing apparatus for printing an image of a photograph film onto a photosensitive material, there are cases in which an appropriate print image cannot be obtained because the printing color development characteristic changes depending on the kind of photosensitive material and due to environmental changes such as changes in temperature, humidity and the like at the printing time, deterioration of the development liquid, and the like. In such cases, a test pattern for printer calibration is printed and the density of this test pattern is measured. According to the results, the printer is calibrated by correcting the exposure amount, color gradation, or the like so that the resulting image is appropriate, and then, printing is started.
However, if the print color development characteristic changes due to use of a different type of photosensitive material or environmental changes such as changes in temperature, humidity and the like at the printing time and thus an appropriate image cannot be obtained, a test pattern for calibration is printed each time when such a case arises, and then the printer is calibrated by measuring the density or the like. Therefore, a problem arises in that efficiency of this calibration work is poor and photosensitive materials for the calibration test patterns are wasted.